Chapter 12 - LILY’S GRAVE
Rain fell over the cemetery.
Vincent Bellini sat beside Lily Moretti’s grave.
No coat.
No umbrella.
Just an old man soaked through.
Adrian approached alone.
Police watched from a distance.
Vincent looked up.
“I knew you’d come.”
Adrian stopped ten feet away.
“Why here?”
Vincent looked at Lily’s name carved into stone.
“Because this is where everything ended.”
“For her.”
“For all of us.”
Adrian’s hands curled into fists.
“You poisoned me.”
“Yes.”
“You helped Luca kill my wife.”
Vincent closed his eyes.
“I helped him try to kill you.”
Adrian’s voice dropped.
“Careful.”
“I didn’t know Elena had the car.”
“You expect that to matter?”
“No.”
“Lily burned alive.”
Vincent began crying.
“I know.”
“You stood next to me at her funeral.”
“I know.”
“You carried her coffin.”
“I know!”
Vincent broke.
“I know what I did!”
Adrian stared at him.
For years, he had imagined finding the person responsible.
He had pictured guns.
Blood.
Screaming.
But now the man sat in the rain looking old and ruined.
It didn’t feel satisfying.
It felt empty.
“Why poison me now?”
Vincent wiped his face.
“Luca said you were changing.”
“Changing what?”
“The businesses. Cutting people out. Going legitimate.”
Adrian said nothing.
Vincent laughed sadly.
“You think I didn’t notice? You shut down collections in Brooklyn. Sold two clubs. Told Marco no more drugs through the docks.”
“I was tired.”
“Luca called it weakness.”
“What did you call it?”
Vincent looked at Lily’s grave.
“Too late.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
Vincent continued.
“When your daughter died, you became colder. But lately… you were stepping away.”
“Why would Luca care?”
“Because he needs your empire dirty.”
“Why?”
Vincent looked directly at him.
“He doesn’t own it.”
Adrian frowned.
“He sold it.”
The rain seemed to stop.
“What?”
“To a syndicate overseas. Piece by piece. Access to the ports. Shipping schedules. Judges. Police.”
Adrian felt sick.
“Who?”
Vincent whispered a name.
“Viktor Sokolov.”
Adrian knew it immediately.
Russian.
Weapons.
Trafficking.
A man Adrian had refused to work with years ago.
“Luca promised him full control after you died.”
Adrian stared at Vincent.
“And Hannah?”
“A clean suspect.”
“Ellie?”
Vincent’s face twisted.
“She was never part of the plan.”
“She saw you.”
“Yes.”
“And Luca wants her dead.”
Vincent nodded.
Adrian looked down at Lily’s grave.
Then back at him.
“Where is Luca?”
Vincent reached into his pocket.
Police raised weapons.
Adrian didn’t move.
Vincent slowly removed a key.
“Pier 19.”
He held it out.
“Cold storage building.”
Adrian took it.
“Why tell me?”
Vincent looked at Lily’s name.
“Because that little girl used the last medicine she had to save a man like you.”
His voice cracked.
“And I realized I couldn’t remember the last time I did something that wasn’t for myself.”
Adrian turned away.
Vincent called after him.
“Adrian.”
He stopped.
“Luca knows where Hannah lives.”
Adrian turned.
His face changed instantly.
Vincent continued.
“He knows her apartment.”
Adrian pulled out his phone.
Called Marco.
No answer.
Called again.
Nothing.
Then Hannah answered.
“Adrian?”
“Where are you?”
“At home. Marco’s downstairs.”
“Take Ellie and leave now.”
“What?”
“NOW.”
A knock sounded through Hannah’s phone.
Three slow knocks.
Ellie’s voice came faintly.
“Mommy, someone’s at the door.”
Then a man outside said,
“Package for Hannah Carter.”
May you like
Adrian recognized the voice.
Luca.
